Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math [1941 - 1953] (born 1870)

• When the mind realizes God, it is permanently established there and does not desire other things.

• The disciple should not copy the behaviour of Guru.

• The aim of life is to stop the mind from involvement with this world.

• EVEN a little of [God's] grace is capable of bestowing on the Jiva [soul] all that is good in its entirety.

• ONE should always be cautious, so that no sin happens, so that one has no regrets at the time of death.

• Mind remains with you always. Even in the other world - Therefore, connect it with Eternal Existence both in animate and inanimate things, the only permanent entity of the highest order. Connect your mind with Him.

• The one who has come, has to go. Nobody can stay here. Every moment keep your luggage packed. Nobody knows when death will call. The warrant of death is like the arrest warrant.

• Heart went to find Paramatma (God) and finished there and caught, and caught for sure. As you send a sculpture of salt in ocean to measure. Or say to this sculpture "Go and measure!" That, "How deep is the ocean?", "What is the depth?" So that sculpture can easily go but it will not come back. There is no difficulty to go but there is difficulty to come back. As it goes to the ocean it dissolves. Who will come back when the seeker experiences how/how much is Paramatma? How is it possible for the soul to listen or speak of Paramatma, if Paramatma has not been seen?

• Some moments before he passed away, he told Mahesh, "What I have taught you also contains the knowledge of the technique for the householder.

• By gaining Paramatma, everything will become automatic. If you leave Paramatma and try to gain everything else, you will never be able to gain anything. Whatever is gained, will look so little, that you will not feel happy.

• you want to catch the shadow, catch the real thing and automatically the shadow will be in your hands. Leaving the real, if you run after the shadow, the faster you run, the faster it will run away from you. That is why, to run after shadowy wealth and fame is foolhardy. Catch hold of the real - Paramatma - and all these will come by itself to be under your command. Remember, that remembering Paramatma is always highly profitable. Whatever time you put into this, you will get back with multifold interest.

• Learn to make full use of the human body. One should not waste this chance.

• There are three types of protection and service: The highest is like a tortoise; the middle is like fishess; and the lower is like birds.
  • The turtle does not keep his eggs near. The fish does not go near its eggs. The bird protects its eggs by covering them always, sitting on them.
  • In the manner of the tortoise, the Great Spiritual Guru helps, protects and guides his sincere disciple by concentration and observation of the behaviour of his disciples. By the blessing of the Guru the life of disciple become purposeful and develops faster on the (path of) Spiritual Progress.

• Every second in human life [can be] very valuable. If you don't value this, you will weep in the end.
• You should never consider yourself a weak or a fallen creature.

• Every moment is the power of the Supreme to be realised and remembered.

• There is no distance or separation with Paramatma (God).

• If you have to make an offering, offer not your money but your defects [if you are allowed to, that is], so that you are redeemed and made whole. [Brahmananda]

• It is necessary to bifurcate [divide] the work of the mind as main and secondary. Apply your body mainly and your mind secondarily to you work (vyarabara).

• Paramatman himself will look after the well-being of the [recognised] devotee. There will be no need to pray for one's welfare: The father will not be able to see his son suffer. Even without being asked, he will do his best to get his son cured. Likewise Paramatman, without even a request, will do the needful.

• When the mind is mainly engaged in thinking of God, you shall receive His grace.